2006 LEXUS LS430 Owners Manual

273
4-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
4
Maintenance and care
Battery
Check the battery as follows:
■Battery exterior
Make sure that the battery terminals are not corroded and that there are no
loose connections, cracks, or loose clamps.
Terminals
Hold-down clamp
CAUTION
■Checking the fluid level
Take care, as the reservoir may be hot.
NOTICE
■When adding fluid
Avoid overfilling, or the po w
er steering may be damaged.
■After replacing the reservoir cap
Check the steering box case, pump and ho
se connections for leaks or damage.
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2

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4-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
■Checking battery condition
Check the battery condition by the indicator color.
Blue: 
Good condition
White: 
Charging necessary. Have the
batter
y checked by your Lexus
dealer.
Red: 
Have the battery checked by
y
our Lexus dealer.
1
2
3
■Before recharging
Recharging, the battery produces hydrogen gas which is flammable and explosive.
Be

fore recharging:
• If recharging with the battery installe d in the vehicle, be sure to dis-
connect the ground cable.
• Make sure the power switch on th e r
echarger is off when connecting
and disconnecting the char ger cables to the battery.

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4-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
4
Maintenance and care
CAUTION
■Emergency measures regarding electrolyte
●If electrolyte gets in your eyes 
Flush them with clean water for at leas t 15 minutes
and get immediate medical
attention. If possible, continue to apply water with a sponge or cloth while travel -
ing to the medical office.
●If electrolyte gets on your skin 
Thoroughly wash the affected area. If you feel p
ain or burning, get medical atten-
tion immediately.
●If electrolyte gets on your clothes 
It can seak through clothing on to your skin. Immediat
ely take off the clothing and
follow the procedure above if necessary.
●If you accidentally swallow electrolyte 
Drink a large quantity of water or milk. Fo l
low with milk of magnesia, beaten raw
egg or vegetable oil. Get emergency medical attention immediately.
■Chemicals in the battery
A battery contains poisonous and corrosive sulfuric acid and may produce hydro -
gen gas which is flammable and explosive. To reduce the risk of death or serious
injur
y, take the following precautions while working on or near battery:
• Do not cause sparks by touching the battery terminals with tools.
• Do not smoke or light a match near the battery.
• Avoid contact with eyes, skin and clothes.
• Never inhale or swallow electrolyte.
• Wear protective safety glasses when working near the battery.
• Keep children away from the battery.
■Where to safe charge the battery
Always charge the battery in an open area. Do not charge the battery in a garage or
cl
osed room where there is not sufficient ventilation.

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4-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
CAUTION
■How to recharge the battery
Only perform a slow charge (5 A or less). T
he battery may explode if charged at a
quicker rate.
NOTICE
■When recharging the battery
Never recharge the battery while the engine is running. Also, be sure all accesso -
ries are turned off.

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4-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
4
Maintenance and care
Washer fluid
Add washer fluid if “Low Washer Fluid” appears on the multi-information dis-
play. ( P.334 )
■Adding fluid
Add washer fluid until it approaches
the NORMAL (maximum) line.
NOTICE
■Use washer fluid only
Do not use soapy water or engine anti-freeze instead of washer fluid. 
Doing so may result in streaking the vehicle’s painted surface.
■Diluting washer fluid
Dilute washer fluid with water as necessary. 
Refer to the freezing temperatures listed on the washer fluid tank when diluting
wa
sher fluid.

278
4-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
Tires
Replace the tires when the tread wear indicators show.
■Checking tires
New tread
Tread wear indicator
Worn tread
The location of tread wear indica-
tors is shown by the “TWI” or “
”
marks, etc., molded on the sidewall
of each tire.
■ Tire rotation
Use the spare tire and rotate the tires
in the order shown.
Lexus recommends tire rotation
per the maintenanc
e schedule to
equalize tire wear and extend tire
life.
1
2
3
Front

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4-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
4
Maintenance and care
Initializing the tire pressure warning system
Tire pressure warning system must be initialized after tires or wheels have
been replaced or rotated, or after adjusting tire pressure.
Message
Reset switch
Park the vehicle with the parking br
ake applied and turn the igni-
tion switch to “LOCK”.
Adjust the pressure of all the tir
es to the specified level.
( P.283 )
Turn the ignition switch on.*
Push and hold the reset switch until “P
ressure Initial” appears in
the multi-information display.**
Drive your vehicle for more than one hour or at speeds of 1
9 mph
(30 km/h) or over.
If you make a mistake in the middle of initialization, per
form the operation
again from the beginning.
*: If “Low Tire” appears in the multi- information display
, push the “RESET”
switch for a few seconds and make sure the warning message disap-
pears.
**:If “Pressure Initial” does not appear when the r
eset switch is held down,
the system may be malfunctioning. Ha ve your vehicle checked by your
Lexus dealer as soon as possible
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4-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
■When to replace your vehicle’s tires
If either of the following occurs, the tire should be replaced:
• Tire damage such as cuts, splits, cracks deep enough to expose the
fabric, or bulges indicating internal damage
• If a tire often goes flat or cannot be pr
operly repaired due to the size
or location of a cut or other damage
If you are not sure, see your Lexus dealer.
■Tire life
Any tire over 6 years old must be checked by a qualified technician even if it has
ne

ver or seldom been used or damage is not obvious.
■If the tread wears down below 0.16 in. (4 mm) on snow tires
The effectiveness of snow tires is lost.
■Tire selection
When replacing a tire, use a tire of the sa me siz
e and construction, and the same or
greater maximum load as the originally installed tires.
Check that the maximum load of the replaced t
ire is greater than 1 /2 of the Gross
Axle Weight Ratings (GAWR) of either the front axle or the rear axle, whichever is
greater. 
As for the maximum load of the tire, see the load limit a
t maximum cold tire inflation
pressure mentioned on the sidewall of the tire. 
As for the Gross Axle Weight Ratings (GAWR), see the Certification Label. 
(  P.283 )